Specialized’s Turbo Creo SL Road Bike

As we have watched the e-bike market grow and proliferate to include every category of bicycle over these last few years, there has always been one sector that’s remained a bit “off the back”—the road bike. In fact, it wasn’t until just two years ago with the introduction of Fazua’s internal battery design and the Ebikemotion rear hub motor that most of the bike industry finally jumped aboard the uncrowded e-road caravan.

As we now find ourselves kicking off a new decade, we’re happy to report that the e-road market has literally exploded with a variety of new models, albeit most utilizing similar powerplants.

Never a brand lacking in forward-thinking vision and/or marketing courage, Specialized has arrived with a ground-up design that easily separates itself from all the others.

THE BIKE

Just as we found with the previous Turbo, the 2020 version houses both the battery and motor inside the massive carbon fiber frame tubes. The S-Works Creo separates itself from its lower-priced sibling by using an eye-catching coat of fancy Super Nova Chameleon paint, plus Specialized’s Future Shock 2.0 front suspension that offers 20mm of travel with easy on/off compression damping via a knob mounted atop the stem.

All of the 2020 Turbos use the same motor and Fact 11r carbon frame. What separates them—and their nose-bleed price jumps—are the parts and accessories that get hung on the bike. From a distance, the motorized Creo looks little different from any standard, non-assist road bike.

THE PARTS

The Creo’s parts kit is definitely unique. In addition to the Future Shock suspension fork, the S-Works model gets a pair of 40mm-deep Roval carbon hoops with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 levers and a Praxis 1x crank with
a 46t chainring mated to an 11-42 rear cassette with a Shimano XTR derailleur.

The rest of the package is made up of Specialized’s own in-house parts, starting with a carbon Hover handlebar, carbon seatpost, shorty saddle and 28mm S-Works Gripton tires.

The on/off and power mode switch is well-integrated, as is the 20mm-travel Future Shock with its on/off twist knob on top.

One of the key accessories found with the S-Works model is the external 160-Wh battery that is said to add an additional 40 miles of range to the 80 miles provided by the 320-Wh battery housed in the downtube. The
external battery weighs 1085 grams (2.65 pounds).

Without a doubt, it’s the all-new motor that makes the Turbo really something special. And beyond the Class 3 designation, the key features that separate the Creo from all other e-bikes are the range and efficiency. In short, nothing else compares and nothing else comes close.

THE MOTOR

Specialized has always been a brand that you could say was big on itself. While over the years the company motto of “Innovate or Die” helped push the in-house boundaries of new technology, there has never been a shortage ofindustry cynics who saw in all the hype a reason to believe that a more proper brand motto should be “Imitate or Die.”

Not so with the Creo Turbo. The design parameters centered around two main goals—to be light and efficient.

While other e-bikes rotate between Shimano, Yamaha, Bosch, Polini and Fazua powerplants, the Creo’s is a proprietary component. Funny thing, but back in 2016 when we asked about the motor’s lineage, all we were told was that it was from Specialized. We knew that wasn’t true, and eventually it became known that the Swiss manufacturer Brose was the manufacturer. And just as occurred when we tried to find out the source of the new motor, once again, we hit a brick wall.

The Creo’s magic lies in the range and efficiency of its proprietary motor.

For 2020 we’re told that the partnership with Brose has finally lapsed and the motors were now made by—you guessed it, they wouldn’t tell us! And once again we pushed back, and once again we got no answer other than the motor is sourced in Asia.

As bullish on e-bikes as Specialized has been from the start, we have no doubt that their own engineers helped steer the design and production of their proprietary powerplant. And regardless of who actually made it (something no other brand worries about concealing), the new Specialized SL 1.1 motor is the best e-road bike motor we’ve
ever tested.

The motor accessories include a 320-Wh battery that resides in the downtube and offers a whopping 80 miles of range. Additionally, the S-Works model includes an auxiliary 160-Wh battery in the shape of a water bottle (an $500 add-on with the lower-line Creo Comp) which can extend ride life an additional 40 miles. Remember, actual mileage figures will vary depending on rider weight, power mode used and type of riding.

Perhaps even more impressive than the range is how efficient the bike pedals with the motor off. Unlike some e-bikes where the non-assist pedal stroke feels like you’re pedaling through a bowl of oatmeal, Specialized (and their mystery partners) has created a motor that runs almost entirely independent of the
pedal effort.

The Creo is easily charged with a nice, long cord that plugs into the charge port located near the bottom bracket on the non-drive side. As with a majority of modern e-bikes, the Creo is both ANT+- and Bluetooth-friendly, and the power modes can be custom-tuned via a dedicated app.

THE RIDE

One push of the on/off button positioned on the top tube starts the motor with a second button that lights the power mode display (Eco, Sport, Turbo). In the same LED light panel there is a pattern of lights that signifies the operating range.

If you’re riding alone or with a group on a climb, there is a constant soft “whirring” motor noise that fills the air, which did irk a few riders. When pedaling along on a group ride, the sound all but disappears when drowned out by the incessant chatter of the freewheels surrounding you.

While we have touted other e-road bikes with rear hub motors for their ability to be a “regular” bike (by replacing the rear wheel), owing to the independence of the crank from the motor, the Specialized Creo always pedals like a “regular” bike. However, unlike those other e-bikes that enjoy close to a 10-pound weight savings

when the rear wheel is swapped, you are stuck with the Creo’s added weight all the time—but that’s why there’s
a motor!

Thanks to a finely tuned torque sensor, the Creo never jumps abruptly when the motor is switched on. The power just pulls you forward, and when you stop pedaling, a slight clicking noise is audible as the motor disengages. The fall-off from when choosing decreased power modes is noticeable.

Between the slightly longish (101.5cm) wheelbase and the motor’s lightweight design and low center-of-gravity positioning, we couldn’t detect any detrimental impact on the bike’s handling or cornering prowess. Some test riders were additionally surprised to not be adversely affected by the 20mm of telescopic fork travel. In short, the whole bike performs as a well-thought-out package.

The Creo’s gearing definitely errs on the side of climbing performance, and most riders spent the bulk of their ride time on the lower-end of the cassette. Finding the right low-gear/power mode combo can keep you busy enough to almost forget about the ride itself.

THE VERDICT

In the most simple, value-oriented terms, do not buy this bike. Why? Because despite the fancier paint and components, the jump to $13,500 from the $6500 Comp model just isn’t worth it. With that kind of cost savings, you could buy some lighter wheels and a comfort-class ticket to Italy for you and a friend to ride the bike and still have money left over for some good wine.

On one ride we put in just over half the distance of a 65-mile ride without any assist. Sure, the weight was noticeable when you pedal away from a red light, but other than those fleeting moments, it felt like a bike. With all the assist options available to the rider, the Creo has found its own niche in the category we’ve traditionally used to label gravel bikes—dual-purpose.

As certain as we are that this is the fastest e-road bike on the market, we are equally certain that no other manufacturer is offering an e-bike with this kind of range and efficiency. The bottom line? When it comes to buying a regular road bike, there are dozens of good choices out there that we’d recommend that don’t have a big “S” on the head tube. The same can’t be said when it comes to an e-road bike.

There are three “classes” of e-bikes. This was started by the industry to help states make better laws to govern their use. The Class 3 system started in California, but has quickly spread to more than half of the states in the U.S.

The classes are as follows: Class 1 means any bicycle with a motor that is pedal assist only (no throttle) that can go up to 20 mph with assistance (you can pedal faster, but you’ll only get assistance from the motor up to 20 mph). Class 2 can be pedal-assist or throttle up to 20 mph. And Class 3, which can rely on throttle assist up to 20 mph and pedal assist up to 28 mph. Class 2 and 3 are allowed only on bike lanes and some paved bike paths, but not on bike trails. Class 1 bikes are allowed in all of these places. The Creo finds a cozy and useful home in the Class 3 clubhouse, and that’s what makes it the first certifiable alternative for “real” (aka fast) road riding, because unlike all the rear hub-powered e-road bikes, the Turbo maintains a more realistic top speed.

CONFESSIONS OFAN E-BIKE “CHEATER”

It was the morning after the Montrose ride, and the text I received from David wasn’t the least unexpected. “Oh man, I heard all the haters going off about Zap on the front of the Montrose ride during my group ride today!”

Trust me, the words “Zap at the front of the Montrose ride” are as unfamiliar (actually unbelievable) as any that even the best PR firm puffery could ever spin, but it was true.

As word of my taking the new Specialized Turbo Creo SL on the weekly group ride began to circulate, so, too, did a litany of derisive comments in the days to come. Although I never made any secret to having the pedal-assist bike, typically, given so many small-minded roadies convulsed with the notion that riding an e-bike equates to “cheating,” I was getting called out—“No one with any self-respect would show up for a group ride on an e-bike.” Maybe not, but anyone whose job it is to test road bikes certainly might!

While my lack of having any self-respect is up for debate, I would challenge any of these whiners to point to the rule book that makes note of such an infraction. There isn’t one, of course, and while they nurse their battered egos for getting passed—or dropped—by some skinny-legged journo, the rest of us can carry on.

FACE THE FUTURE

The 2020 Specialized Turbo Creo SL is all new where it counts the most—the motor. You may have seen the comical ads run during last year’s Tour de France that portrayed an easy-spinning Phil Liggett pedaling past a struggling Julian Alaphilippe. Trust me, that’s a pretty accurate portrayal of what the Creo is all about, as its combination of power and range makes it that easy to ride away from just about anyone on
a climb.

Owing to the plethora of test bikes that we frequently bring to the weekly Montrose ride, many riders make a point to check out what we’re riding while waiting for the ride to start. Despite the Creo’s “regular” bike appearance, astute riders sussed out the power switch located on the top tube straight away.

I kept the motor off for the first 10-or-so miles, choosing instead to sit in and roll with the group, maintaining a speed in the mid-20s. Just as the group prepped for a sprint past the Santa Anita Racetrack, I dialed it up to full power and easily sped to the front of the group. However, as I closed in on the top eight riders, I soon felt my legs and lungs giving up. With the lead guys hitting a top speed over 30 mph, I was now relying on my own naturally aspirated motor, and no thanks to the added 10 pounds of bike beneath me, I was coming up short.

However, later in the ride, as the group headed down Foothill Blvd. straight towards the celebrated Encanto Park sprint, I again hit Turbo mode and surged to the front. With a quick look under my arm, I saw a string of 80+ riders doing their best to stay on my wheel. Awesome! The crazy thing was that, as I was pushing the pace at 28 mph, physically, I wasn’t the least bit under duress—again, something not even remotely possible for me in a non-assist world.

“It’s only cheating if you fixate on being a loser.”

A few miles later we approached the dreaded Winston climb, and once more I was at the front driving the whole pack. After making the bottom turn, I easily (or was it effortlessly?) dropped everybody like a bad habit. The effort required was so minimal, it was downright silly. Sensing the potential for any blow-back for “stealing” someone’s Strava PR, I made sure to pull over and quit pedaling short of the top. But the message was clear—the Creo is a hill-climb-killer.

What was most surprising was how fresh I felt after the ride. Between the long pulls, which I could never do without assist, and miles accumulated, physically, I felt like I’d only ridden half as far. This is a reality I’ve heard from many friends who ride e-mountain bikes. Yeah, they get some assist up the hills, but their rides have also been extended. Hmm, being able to spend more time on the bike—what’s so bad about that?!

AS FOR NO ASSIST

Choosing some self-imposed penance for using the motor the week prior, this time out I did the whole ride sans power. As long as I sat on someone’s wheel, I could roll along between 25–30 mph down Foothill Blvd. without any additional effort. In fact, even when the group jumped at a green light, I could stay on without any
extra exertion.

Fearing that I would get dropped badly on the Winston climb, I still positioned myself inside the top third of the group to see how far I could go with a 28-pound bike. With every ounce of effort and ego I could muster, I rode past everyone at about the halfway mark—even the group leader, who barked out in a most accusatory tone, “Really?!” On an e-bike?!” At that moment I sat up, looked back at him and shouted back, “No motor!” It was awesome! Although, within a few extra feet, I was finally gobbled up when my power-to-bike-weight ratio finally
red-lined.

Conclusion

As impressive as the Creo is, for me it’s too much of a novelty to consider owning one. Given how much I just like to pedal old-fashioned bikes, on a daily basis I wouldn’t really know what to do with the assist. Over the course of three days, I later rode the Creo for more than 150 miles without using the motor once just to see how the Creo worked as a regular bike. And it wasn’t until I was 34 miles into the last day with just over 2400 feet of climbing that the added weight of the bike finally got to me; I was over it.

The Creo is indeed something special. However, it would take a serious reorienting of what my two-wheeled priorities, abilities and desires are to properly integrate it into my normal ride schedule.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GETELECTRIC BIKE ACTION

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Pegasus Bikes Premio Cross Commuter

Pegasus is a German brand that, in the U.S., is under the same brand umbrella as Bulls and are billed as a less-expensive sister brand. Whereas Bulls targets athletes with performance-oriented bikes, Pegasus makes bikes for urban riders and commuters. For several years they have been treating bikes as the “transportation of the future,” encouraging a culture of riding and advocating for safer streets, etc.

THE BIKE

The Premio Cross is made for commuting, and the frame comes in two types: there’s a step-through with a very low top tube and what they call a “Wave frame,” where there’s no top tube, instead opting for a downtube that goes to the bottom bracket and a short gusset tube that goes from near the bottom of the downtube to near the bottom of the seat tube. It offers easier mounting and dismounting than even the step-through frame.

There is an integrated (non-removable) rack that’s welded onto the back that can carry everything you need for work or groceries—whatever you need to carry. There are plenty of places to attach panniers, a baby seat, or use straps or bungees to secure whatever you need to carry.

The integrated rear rack is beefy, set up for bags and even includes a spring-loaded clip. We love that there are ample places to attach straps.

The SR Suntour NEX E-25 air fork has 63mm of travel with preload and air-pressure adjustments, which means you can tailor the action and feel of the fork to your preferences (and to how bad your roads are maintained).

THE PARTS

There are a lot of creature comforts here, starting with the adjustable stem. Though it requires an Allen key, you can easily set it up to be as upright as you’d like. Grips are halfway between full ergonomics and simply round. The plastic flat pedals work well with any type of shoe, and we found the front and rear mudguards help keep you dry and clean on your ride. Integrated front and rear lights are powered by the battery, and the front light is plenty bright enough to see at night, but also to be seen if using it as a daytime running light.

The Shimano Altus setup offers an ample gearing range, even if you have to climb hills on your way to work.

The 700x40c tires have light knobs on them, are e-bike-rated and can run anywhere from 50–75 psi. The higher the pressure, the less rolling resistance, but that also translates to a slightly bumpier ride, as the tires can’t help take-out the shocks from bad streets as well.

“As a commuter this bike is very good, with all of its ergonomic touches, plenty of speed to get you through traffic, and more than enough power to get you to work without sweating.”

Tektro hydraulic disc brakes provide plenty of stopping power and are very easy to modulate.

The 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain features a 44T sprocket in the front and 11-34T in the back. It shifts easily, and that range covered every hill, descent and flat ground we threw at it easily.

A Bosch 500-Wh PowerPack provides the juice, and the added graphics bring it right into the bike.

THE MOTOR

Pegasus opts for a Bosch Active Line mid-drive, a 250-watt motor that puts out a gentle but powerful 40 N/m of torque at speeds of up to 20 mph. It’s internally geared with plastic gears for quiet operation, and sensors that measure cadence, torque and speed 1000 times per second to detect shifts to ensure smooth shifting with less strain and wear.

The battery is a 500-Wh (36V, 13.4Ah) PowerPack mounted on the downtube. It can be removed using a key for storage or charging, and, of course, you can leave it on the bike to charge as well.

The 63mm of travel may not sound like much, but it tamed many of the serious bumps in the road.

The controller and display are integrated into one single Bosch Purion unit. The backlit LCD lets you see what mode you’re in, what your speed is, remaining battery charge and power output. It keeps the handlebars a little cleaner with an integrated unit like this.

WHO IT’S MADE FOR

The Premio Cross is aimed atcommuters specifically, but it’s also great for recreational riders who want some utility and can be outfitted to be a proper trekking bike. The included fenders mean that you can ride it more often, even if the weather forecast isn’t sunny.

Drive mode selection is easy and elegant with the backlit Bosch Purion display.

THE RIDE

We like to ride test bikes with the motor off for a while to see how it performs as a regular bike. That can come in handy if your battery is especially low, etc. The Premio Cross worked great in this capacity. There is some drag from the motor, but not much. Because of the weight of the bike, it corners very well even without assist.

Turning on the motor can be done on the fly. If you start riding and forget to turn it on, this can be helpful, not having to stop the bike while you turn it on. It’s a Bosch motor, and they keep making them lighter, smaller and quieter. You have to be riding this bike to hear the motor when it’s engaged; riders next to you likely won’t hear it.

We found the adjustable stem to be a fantastic part of the ergonomics of the bike. Adjustments require tools, but you can easily set it up for your favorite riding position.

There are four power modes: Eco, Tour, Sport and Turbo. It offers pedal assistance at a rate of 40 percent of rider input in Eco, 100 percent in Tour, 170 percent in Sport and 250 percent in Turbo at a maximum cadence of 100 rpm. On this bike we found that Tour was our go-to. Eco does a little better than making up for the weight of the bike, but why have an e-bike if you’re barely going to use the electric part, right? We did find Sport mode to be helpful on steep hills. As much as we love power, Turbo was the mode we almost never used. Not that that is a bad thing; there’s something great about knowing you have a more powerful level, just in case you ever need it.

The bike is very planted in corners. We tried it on a variety of surfaces, including some wet pavement and even the sandy beach bike path, and it was very predictable and controllable. The geometry of the bike is fairly forgiving, and the ride is lively without being twitchy. The handlebars, at 2 feet (610mm) wide, add to this stability with that width, yet are still narrow enough to squeeze between double-parked cars on bike lanes.

Tektro hydraulic brakes offer ample stopping power.

As a commuter this bike is very good, with all of its ergonomic touches, plenty of speed to get you through traffic, and more than enough power to get you to work without sweating. You could certainly turn the power down and get in a workout on the way home! We’d definitely suggest a set of panniers to help you carry stuff. You’ll find 1001 uses for it and constant reasons to ride.

THE VERDICT

This bike is not only a great commuter bike or just an urban grocery-getter/errand runner, but it’s a good value, especially considering the reliable Bosch motor system built into it. Build quality and ride quality are excellent. With good, simple maintenance, this bike will last for years.

FANTIC XF1 INTEGRA 160 RACE ENDURO

Founded in 1968, the Fantic motorcycle brand was purchased by a group of investors in 2015 who decided to bring the Italian marque back to its original glory. In addition to a revamped line of motorcycles, the new owners also saw fit to add an electric bicycle division.

Like two leading American brands—Foes and Intense—Fantic, too, has been experimenting with the staggered-wheel-size idea that uses a 29-inch wheel up front and a 27-inch in the rear. The mixed wheel sizes are intended to offer specific handling advantages, especially in the turns. The larger front wheel goes over objects more easily and, with a narrower width, offers knife-edge precision for steering. The rear tire is usually a plus-sized tire (2.6 inches or wider) offering outstanding grip for power and braking.

THE BIKE

The XF1 starts out with an aluminum frame with 160mm of travel in the front and rear. A RockShox Lyrik Select fork is paired with a RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ shock. This has proven to be a good combination and will allow for the bike to be used with matched or staggered 27.5- or 29-inch wheels, depending on rider preference.

There are lots of nice aesthetic accents on this bike, including touches of red in the seat clamp, caliper mounts and suspension linkage that tie into the red of the bike graphics and play well against the black and white parts.

THE PARTS

The XF1 is set up with a SRAM EX1 1x drivetrain with an 11-48T cassette. An e-bike-specific KMC chain was chosen for its strength. Knock on wood, we’ve yet to snap one of these on a ride, and it isn’t for lack of trying.

There’s a Switch adjustable dropper seatpost, with small and medium frames getting 100mm of travel and large frames getting 125mm. Braking is accomplished by SRAM Code-R four-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 203mm rotors. These allow for powerful braking and very good modulation.

THE MOTOR

The motor is Brose’s latest S-Mag mid-drive, engineered for lighter weight and smaller size, but still kicking out a mighty 90 N/m of torque. The “mag” part is magnesium, which is for strength and weight savings. Internally, there’s a Gates belt drive, which makes this one of the quietest motors on the market.

The rear triangle design is simple and protective of the shock.

The 630-Wh battery is a staple for Brose, and it’s semi-integrated into the frame (hence the name “Integra”). They’ve had this bigger battery for several years now, ahead of the curve against companies like Bosch, Yamaha and Shimano. It offers better range or just simply the ability to use more assist and still make your entire ride. The Marquardt display and mode controller is one of our favorites for being bright, easy to use, and they seem to be relatively bulletproof.

There are some really factory-race-looking details on this bike. Check the red caliper mount as an example.

WHO IT’S MADE FOR

This bike is aimed squarely at serious enduro riders. It has plenty of travel and great components, but with an aluminum frame instead of the higher-end carbon, it won’t break the bank. And as the name implies, it’s race-ready! They do have carbon versions available, if you have deeper pockets and want an even lighter bike.

THE RIDE

The staggered tire sizes worked out really well, the front wheel rolled over everything we threw at it, and you can really precisely steer it. In hard braking, both tires had plenty of bite, so we could ride into corners a little faster with confidence. There’s a reason Maxxis Minion tires are so popular, and they certainly shined for us.

The Brose motor offers plenty of power and torque, and it’s just so quiet! The 1×8 rear cassette was perfect. A 1×11 often has us shifting two gears at once, because you need fewer in-between gears with an e-bike. The big battery on this bike let us ride without any sort of range anxiety, and we were able to ride all day on one battery.

The bike corners well, feels planted and the suspension setup seems just right for an enduro-travel bike. The Fantic handled every trail we threw at it, and owing to the bigger battery, we felt free to explore a few new ones. Even if we got in over our heads, the bikekept us rubber-side down, thankfully.

The handlebar is 760mm, which is a little narrow for a modern bike compared to many that are 780+ mm, but this was manageable and may have helped on some narrower sections. There were some other handling quirks, such as the bottom bracket was 358mm from the ground, making it feel a little less stable, though it did help avoid pedal strikes in technical situations.

THE VERDICT

The Fantic XF1 Integra 160 Race is a mouthful to say, but the bike itself shows Fantic’s commitment to making solid enduro e-bikes that handle well, are very planted and make a good rider even more confident on the trail. The powerful Brose S-mag motor loves to climb hills, especially technical uphill trails.

TransAngeles Hans Rey’s Tales Of Adventure

media release

Hans Rey’s Tales Of Adventure’ is a new visual podcast series. I will be telling and reading the stories of some of my over 40 mountain bike adventure trips, past and present, accompanied by many previously unknown photos, clips and anecdotes.

Episode 1 features my ‘Urban MTB Adventure’ – ‘TransAngeles’ with Missy Giove and Tim Commerford – traversing Los Angeles in 5 days on mountain ebikes. It’s all about the contrasts between nature and harmony, and the urban jungle and chaos with all its contrasts, hidden trails and neighborhoods.

BULLS ICONIC EVO TR 1 SPEED

Photos: Pat Carrigan

There are a lot of choices in the e-bike world if you are looking for a commuter. Most have a suspension fork and other amenities. With the condition of roads in many cities, usually filled with potholes and unevenness, we often recommend getting a suspension seatpost as a way to absorb the energy from the bumps.

There are very few choices for a full-suspension commuter unless you want to take a mountain bike to work. And putting on a rack to carry your stuff on the back of a mountain bike isn’t always practical.

The first full-suspension commuter we rode and tested was the Riese & Müller Supercharger (EBA, June 2019). Bulls has its own contender in this race, the Iconic TR 1. There are two variants of the TR 1: the entry-level Class 1 model that uses a Bosch Performance Line CX motor, and this Class 3-designated TR 1 Speed that uses a Bosch Performance Line Speed mid-drive motor that’s capable of 28 mph.

THE BIKE

The roots of the Iconic TR 1 are in Bulls’ mountain bikes. The full-suspension design is born from the same DNA as their off-road-specific bikes. It’s designed as a short-travel (120mm) commuter bike based on Bulls’ cross-country e-mountain bikes. The beefy, 6061 aluminum frame is incredibly sturdy-looking and includes a frame structure that semi-encloses the rear shock to protect it from dirt and mud from the back wheel.The fork is a sturdy SR Suntour Lytro-34 air shock with 120mm of travel. Air pressure and preload can be adjusted.

THE PARTS

Rear suspension is an SR Suntour Unair air shock with 120mm of travel. There are aluminum fenders and a rear rack that isn’t flat on top, but capable of handling a variety of different saddlebags to let you carry anything you need on your commute.

A Suntour Unair rear shock provides 120mm of rear travel, and the frame design helps keep mud and water from splashing on it.

At the front of the bike, there’s a cool-looking, boxy, fully adjustable stem by AS-SUVi. That’s where the Kiox display Fuxon F170 integrated headlight are located. Cabling on this bike is some of the neatest we’ve seen, with the exposed wires very neatly set up, and each one has its own unique hole in the frame/fork for routing.

“Light control inputs are all it takes, and the geometry makes it both responsive and lively but simultaneously forgiving.”

This is the first commuter we’ve tested with a dropper seatpost. Bulls went with a Limotec DP-01 dropper, which is not the most responsive one on the market (the plastic lever flexes a lot), but it comes in handy in stop-and-go traffic. It allows you to have full leg extension while pedaling, yet stand flat-footed at a stop without getting out of the saddle.

A Shimano 1×10 setup makes shifting simple yet robust.

The Bulls runs with Shimano Deore hydraulic brakes with 180mm rotors front and rear, allowing for ample stopping power and good modulation. The Shimano levers are very well-placed and adjustable for different finger reach.

Wellgo plastic platform pedals with grip tape allow for a decent grip, even with your work shoes, though we would swap them for grippier and sturdier aluminum pedals if given the option. Ergonomic grips are very comfortable, and rounding out the touchpoints is the Bulls-branded saddle, which doesn’t look really comfortable but actually is, even on long rides.

THE MOTOR

The Iconic TR 1 Speed is equipped with a fourth-generation Bosch Performance Line Speed motor. This motor is smaller and lighter than its predecessors and more efficient, while still putting out 350 watts and up to 340-percent support at the pedals and 75 N/m of torque. What this means is that it will get you quickly up to 28 mph in traffic.

A forgiving head tube angle and Suntour Lytro-24 shocks make for a confident ride, even off-road.

The battery is Bosch’s new 625-Wh PowerTube battery, which is located inside the downtube. This is 25 percent more capacity than the most recent, standard 500-Wh batteries, including the ones Bosch has been making the past couple of years. It can be easily swapped for an extra battery if you need extra range and want to carry one with you.

The display on the TR 1 Speed is a Bosch Kiox, their top-of-the-line model, that features a bright, full-color LCD screen with several screens’ worth of information that you can toggle through, showing off speed, mode, battery life, range, watts you’re putting in, cadence, and you can even connect a heart-rate monitor to it wirelessly to monitor or improve your fitness.

WHO IT’S MADE FOR

The Iconic is intended for commuters and will work equally well as a grocery-getter, or even as a touring bike with its comfortable ride quality and great range. It could very easily replace a second car in two-car families.

THE RIDE

We put in some normal, fairly flat commuter miles to start off, and the bike rolled beautifully, even with the motor off. Light control inputs are all it takes, and the frame geometry makes it both responsive and lively but simultaneously forgiving.

Engaging the motor, Eco is a nice place to start. It rolls off the line easily, and you can feel the torque helping you along. Because this is a commuter bike, we tried to get to our imaginary office sans sweat, so we frequently went into Tour and Sport modes. Turbo was entirely unnecessary for most of the trip. We just got into it a bit to test it on a long hill, but Sport was more than enough for that.

We discovered halfway through the first ride that we hadn’t set the suspension sag. The indicator showed that even with the rough roads we’d gone over, we hadn’t used close to half of the available travel. Checking with a shock pump, the bike was given to us with 200 psi in the rear shock, and it still felt good. Dropping it down by nearly 50 psi, setting proper sag, it felt better. Even on the rutted, beaten, badly-in-need-of-repair streets of Los Angeles, the Iconic glides along like a 1980s Cadillac. You feel very little shock from the bumps.

Stopping at a stop sign or light, you can use the dropper post to make you feel stable with your feet on the ground, but you can bring it up for full leg extension as you take off. With the power and speed of this bike, we had a street that had a stop sign at every block. We ended up drag racing a couple of cars, and they were often shocked that we beat them to the next sign.

This bike loves to cruise at around 25 mph. In urban environments, that can mean you’re out-pacing the cars around you. You have to be cautious that drivers making right-hand turns in front of you don’t misjudge your speed, as they often don’t expect a bicycle to be going that fast. We made full use of the Shimano Deore brakes a few times. In general, we found we out-paced most of the vehicular traffic on rides anywhere near rush hour.

There’s a lot going on here, but it’s neatly handled. Notice how clean the cable routing is? See also the adjustable stem and headlight.

Because the suspension is so plush, we decided to take it to a long section of unpaved road up in the mountains, with some serious climbs, gravel, dirt, ruts and even some mud. In 16 miles of that road, with 1900+ feet of climbing, we decided not to treat it nicely. We found a few jumps along the way, rode it in Sport and Turbo most of the time, pushing it far harder than a normal commuter. It never complained, not even once. And, it made it on less than half a battery.

After riding this thing around with the Kenda Kadre tires, which our demo bike came with, we actually kind of prefer these to the stock Super Moto-X tires, depending on terrain. The Super Moto-X is fine if you’re never going on unpaved roads, but since we did, the extra grip of the slightly knobby tires offered superb grip.

THE VERDICT

As commuter bikes go, this is now one we’d place at the top of our list. All the amenities, the plush suspension, the dropper post, the adjustable stem, and the lighting make this not only utilitarian, but downright comfortable as a daily commuter, especially if you have a long, urban commute with terrible streets. It is a long-range bike that can keep up with traffic or, in traffic jams, simply outrun it and get you to work faster and cheaper than your car-driving colleagues.

NICOLAI ION G16 EBOXX

Nicolai is a German bike brand that made their name on building some exotic, full-suspension mountain bikes, and they’ve now made the leap into the e-bike market. We recently had the chance to test their latest Bosch CX-powered Ion G16 Eboxx in the Rincine Trail Area near Florence, Italy. Nicolai takes a unique approach in the mountain bike market and are known as the go-to frame maker when a company has a special project or when any concepts need to be tested.

THE BIKE

Nicolai has long been at the forefront of modern mountain bike frame-geometry development. All bikes have been getting longer and slacker, but nothing is as long and slack as the G16. The medium size we rode has the same reach as a normal-to-long large frame from many other designers.

“Riding the G16 in this corner, we simply drifted by the tree in one of the most surprising, controlled pieces of sideways action we’ve ever had on slippery conditions.”

The aluminum frame has an extruded double-wall downtube for strength and to house the power-tube Bosch battery. All cable routing is also internal and easily threaded through these extra cavities on either side of the downtube, and the battery is contained and protected by a custom battery cover. All bearings on the frame use extra O-ring seals, plus sealed bearings to create a quad seal.

The Bosch remote gives riders the option to vary rider motor power.

There is a 10-year availability of spare parts guaranteed and a five-year warranty on the product. The frame also is completely customizable with “mutator links” that allow any wheel size to be used, any shock and allow any form of micro adjust to be done to the geometry. If that isn’t enough, the bike can be ordered (for an extra $805) with your own desired geometry pre-welded into the frame. All of that for a cheaper price than many top-of-the-range production bikes.

THE PARTS

The G16 is a very special bike. First, they set up a custom unit just for us to test, and second their development tester Paul Aston asked for a range of details about our preferences for bike setup before he even arrived.

The stay pivot parts are easily replaceable and robust, with future upgrades possible due to the form-factor design.

Paul says Nicolai bikes are, “Generally sold through our direct-sale platform and so are delivered with standard setup. But, if you come on a test ride with me, we will help with setup so that the rider can mirror when the bike arrives. In the future, we are hoping to deliver preset to riders’ needs and even with the handlebars aligned and the pedals attached.”

Component choice is customizable, the setup we tried included a wireless seatpost, which we found interesting, and a 29-inch front wheel and 27.5-inch rear wheel. Braking was provided by Magura with their MT7 brakes, which were sharp and gave a good feedback on the trail with zero fade. Both ends were supported by 160mm of Fox suspension travel.

Magura MT7 braking is powerful and with excellent modulation.

THE MOTOR

Bosch provides the juice and kinetic energy to power the bike along. The Kiox display is centrally mounted and has all the power modes expected from Bosch. We mostly used the e-MTB mode, which is a dynamic mode that takes readings from the torque sensor to give more power when the rider pushes harder—almost like having an automatic transmission. Bosch was the first company to implement this as a feature. The Bosch motor gives a solid push up the hill that never falters. It feels like you have power on tap when you want it. This less-cycle feeling might be interesting to riders who come from a motorcycle background.

Battery life is as expected from a 500-Wh battery, giving us about 2700 feet of climbing for our 200-pound weight. We can swap the battery out easily, so with two batteries, a rider can enjoy a big day out on a bike.

WHO IT’S MADE FOR

Bikes like this are going to appeal to those who like to be at the very front end of bike development and trust the ideas of forward-thinking designers. If you feel safe with a more current market-oriented approach to bike design and geometry then this bike will challenge your ideas and might make you feel uncomfortable. It will probably take five years for the mass market to get to the start of these geometry numbers and even then it will be a controversial move. If you feel ready for change and want your bike to be a new riding experience the G16 could be that bike.

THE RIDE

E-bikes are obviously meant to give a climbing experience that excels; otherwise, there would be little point to having an electric assist. The G16 was the very best I’ve have ridden for climbing in our recent memory. The notable function of this was the fact there was no front-end lift on steep trails. We ran out of leg power before the front end lifted. Very few bikes have given us this experience. Bosch motor power and this geometry are a challenge to beat.

The 133.3cm wheelbase is long, and the head angle is an open 63.5 degrees. The rear chainstay distance gives extreme stability when climbing, though the rider position doesn’t feel extreme, and the added reach means the rider feels cocooned in a very stable setup. It is possible to pop wheelies easily, and riding whoops is simple. Cornering is the same as another bike we have ridden, except more stable, and the extra length did not stop us getting around any corners.

Most shock types can be mounted. The linkages give multiple mounting and tuning options for suspension performance.

The first corner we hit was off-camber and slippery wet mud on a steep slope, with a tree at the apex waiting to ruin us. Riding the G16 in this corner, we simply drifted by the tree in one of the most surprisingly, controlled pieces of sideways action we’ve ever had on slippery conditions. After that experience the rest of our trail riding time was only a reflection of this. Whoops were plush and stable, and the jumps seemed smaller than when we were riding on another bike. The ability to drift and blast our way through anything made us feel like the bike was unable to crash. Security in extreme trails as we get older is important, as is the idea that we want to still feel like a hero riding. Straight-line speed is smooth and confidence-inspiring, and we struggled to think about negative elements of the bike.

Suspension at these head angles, though, does need to be turned properly. The front end had a tendency to feel a little harsh in very fast, rocky or stutter sections. After much discussion with fork manufacturers, we found out it was because of lubrication. With an extreme head angle, the mid-chassis flex action and characteristics placed on the Fox fork put this single-crown fork and most forks at the limit of front-to-back stiffness. It is like sitting in the middle of a bridge with no central support; it is going to flex. Recommended solutions to make sure no binding took place during this flex or limiting stiction includes storing the fork at a horizontal angle (hang bike up by front wheel) and good fork maintenance.

We tried the standard derailed shifting, which worked flawlessly. However, Nicolai also offers a Gates Carbon Belt-Drive version with electric, 14-speed, internal hub shifting from Rohloff.

THE VERDICT

This is one of the best-handling, current, aluminum, customizable e-bikes we have ridden for off-road use since we started riding e-bikes. It’s hard to quantify why and how without riding one. The price reflects the excellent build quality and the design approach.

Yes, it is heavy, and yes, we like lightweight e-bikes, so we are ready to change our opinion as soon as something else we test makes us think otherwise. The G16 easily sits at the upper reaches of modern bike design. Some will love it, while some will just look at the numbers and complain. All we can say is, try one and be prepared to enter into a world where you question your own riding skills and how they relate to a bike.

Batch E-Commuter

It’s not easy to find a truly good-quality e-bike powered by one of the more proven motors in the business for under $2000, especially one only sold through dealers, not online. So, many retailers are going with an online model to drop prices, but this also affects bike shops, nearly cutting them out of the process. We’ve never thought this is a good thing. If anything goes wrong with an online bike, you have to consider who is going to fix it. Most dealers will only work on brands they carry.

Batch Bikes has put out their first e-bike, the E-Commuter. They’re a brand known for quality bikes at good prices. They’ve produced the first Bosch-powered e-bike for just a bit over $2000. And, they didn’t skimp on the components or the ride quality.

THE BIKE

The E-Commuter starts with a basic diamond-shaped frame with a high-step aluminum frame. It has bosses for a water bottle on the seat tube, and a sturdy rear rack with a light bracket, and ample plastic fenders that cover the 1.75-inch Kenda Kwick Seven.5 Sport tires. They’re sturdily attached, so there’s no rattle while riding. The company logo is embossed on the head tube, which is an elegant touch.

THE PARTS

Considering what has gone into making this bike as inexpensive as it is, there are some truly nice touches, like the hydraulic Tektro disc brakes with large 180mm rotors. A Shimano Altus drivetrain shifts easily and surely through the 1×8 system.

The handlebars are curiously narrow. We noticed this when we first picked up the bike. We may be biased, though, given the current mountain bike fashion of running up to 800mm-wide bars. The Batch bars are just a bit over 600mm wide. Actually, there are advantages to narrower bars on a commuter, if you’re splitting lanes, and going around cars and trying not to catch their mirrors.

Pedals are plastic platform-style with enough raised teeth to work with almost any kind of shoe, whether sporty or a nice work shoe.

THE MOTOR

The third-generation Bosch Active Line motor is the simplest and least expensive of the Bosch motors. It eschews the internal reduction gearing and allows for a normal-sized chainring up front; however, this comes at a price in terms of torque. It offers just 40 N/m versus 75 N/m in the upper end of Bosch’s lineup. As with all Bosch e-bike systems, its computer is measuring torque, cadence and wheel speed 1000 times per second, offering instant changes in power delivery that feels very natural yet plenty powerful.

A 400-Wh PowerPack keeps the cost lower but offers ample range.

The battery is an external PowerPack 400-Wh battery, which makes it lighter and less expensive as well. This was the standard just two years ago, and though Bosch has gone to 500 Wh for many of their PowerPack batteries and up to 625 Wh on their PowerTube batteries, the 400 Wh is still a great choice and offers
good range.

The cockpit is fairly clean, with the Purion display/controller on the left and the Shimano shifter on the right.

A Bosch Purion display provides the control for the assist mode and provides at-a-glance information on speed, battery power, etc. It isn’t removable like the Intuvia or Kiox displays, so it stays on the bike when you lock it up anywhere. The battery, of course, does as well, unless you use the key to unlock it and take it with you.

WHO IT’S MADE FOR

This is a truly well-built machine aimed at urban commuters (it’s right in the name), but is also appropriate for those who want a bike for riding around town, running errands, etc. It doesn’t have enough range via the stock battery to be a touring bike, but buying a spare battery can change that. We’d recommend the 500-Wh PowerPack for this, as they’re both the same size and form factor.

THE RIDE

Throwing a leg over the E-Commuter, we fired up the system and took off. Actually, our first ride with this bike was during a ride-along for our LAPD article (page 68). It gave us a chance to ride on some truly bad roads—anything from massively warped asphalt to concrete with gnarly potholes, plus needing to ride up some curbs.

There are bosses for mounting a front rack or panniers.

This bike doesn’t have ergonomic grips, only basic round ones with locking rings, but we found this to be better on bumpy roads, as it transferred less bump energy to our hands and wrists. The handlebars themselves have a slight rise and a slight sweep back, but are pretty flat. This allows for an upright but slightly forward
riding position.

The narrow bars let us split traffic with ease but still offer good control and stability. The motor is powerful, yet predictable in traffic and very controllable. The Tektro brakes provided ample stopping power and good modulation.

“It makes for a very pleasant ride, whether you’re in the city or in nature.”

On all of our rides, the power delivery was very smooth. This is a Class 1 bike, providing power up to 20 mph. We felt it taper off starting at just above 19 mph. Going above this is all your own power with no assistance, but there’s very little drag from the Active Line motor.

The Shimano Altus drivetrain offers a great range for all but the steepest of hills.

Gearing is tuned very well for this bike. There’s a 38t front chainring made specifically to work with the Active Line motor, and an 11-32 rear cassette that we found perfect, even on some fairly steep hills. We were never left wanting for more.

The tires have a fairly wide profile with a good contact patch, which helped the bike feel planted in corners. The tread design is great in dry and good in wet. There’s enough volume to take some of the shock out of bumps in the road, too.

If you ride on terribly maintained roads riddled with potholes, you’ll definitely want to think about your choice of saddle and seatpost. Adding a suspension post, like a BodyFloat, adds expense to the bike, but if you go on longer rides or commutes, it can make a big difference in fatigue levels when you get where you’re going. We found it plenty comfortable on shorter errands, but longer rides were a bit less comfy.

The motor is all but silent. It makes for a very pleasant ride whether you’re in the city or in nature.

The sturdy rear rack and everything in it is protected with the aluminum fenders. It has one spring-loaded clamp to help hold things in place.

SUGGESTED ACCESSORIES

If you’re going to ride at night, we highly recommend getting a head and taillight at least. Actually, both of those are a good idea for visibility in daylight. The bike comes with standard reflectors, but the Kenda tires don’t have built-in retro-reflective strips to increase visibility from the side.

We lift a lot of bikes on and off our bike racks and found the Batch really well-balanced with the weight of the motor and battery in the middle. Even at just shy of 47 pounds, it was really easy to maneuver onto bike racks, up and downstairs, etc. Definitely a plus for apartment dwellers. Of course, you can take the battery off, which will save about 5.5 pounds, or you can lock up your bike and just carry the battery in to charge it.

THE VERDICT

The E-Commuter is an incredible value for the money. With quality components, the fact that it’s only
sold through dealers and will have access to Bosch’s nationwide dealer support, legendary reliability, and
just its overall good looks and performance definitely made this a bike worthy of consideration.

HPC Titan

Hi-Power Cycles is known for making bikes that live up to their name. Their bikes are made in the U.S., and they make stuff that they themselves want to ride. It’s kind of like Apple’s philosophy applied to bicycles. There’s always a wow factor to everything they build. Their custom bikes are a sight to behold, but they also have production bikes that are all but infinitely tunable to customize them per customer wants, needs or desires.

THE BIKE

The frame is a beefy aluminum frame made wide enough to handle the oversized 150mm Boost wheel spacing. Our test bike was a pre-production test mule, and the 26×4.5-inch tires were barely rubbing on the inside of the stays. Production bikes have a wider yoke to allow up to 4.8-inch tires.

The Renegade fork was developed specifically for fat bikes with surprisingly thin 32mm stanchions. We’ve had some bikes with a larger-diameter fork that would flex under the pressures put on by a Class 1 fat bike, so how would this fork fare in a bike that can be (and our case, is) set up as a bike so powerful it can only run on private land or OHV areas? Read on.

THE PARTS

Being a fat-tire bike, that’s the first thing to talk about. The Kenda Juggernaut 26×4.5-inch tires have fairly light knobs with tons of volume to control ride and grip. They’re mounted on hand-built wheels with Alex Blizzer 90 rims and Phil Wood spokes that are hand-cut in-house and hand-laced.

The drivetrain is SRAM GX 1×11, with 11-42t in the rear and a 40t Race Face narrow-wide chainring up front, and a KMC 11-Turbo (e-bike-specific) chain.

Of course, with a powerful beast like this, you have to have brakes you can rely on. HPC went with Magura MT4e brakes with cutoff switches and 180mm rotors.

Every bike is hand-assembled in Chatsworth, California, often by Chad Loyd (shown by the signature here).

THE MOTOR

HPC went with a Bafang Ultra mid-drive motor here. It comes with a 1000-watt badge, but in truth it can be programmed to run anywhere from a street-legal 750 watts to a white-knuckle-inducing 1600 watts stock, but it’s built well enough to be able to handle over 2000 watts, and there are those who have reliably done so. HPC offers it on this bike, preprogrammed to 750, 1500 or 2000 watts per customer specification.

At 160 N/m of torque, it easily stands at the top of the heap, even well above the TQ motor’s 120 N/m. The Titan uses an advanced torque sensor and cadence sensor that senses rider input 1000 times per second to offer a smoother riding experience.

There are a range of batteries that are offered with this bike. The standard battery is a 12.4-Ah version, but they offer a 14, 17.5 and a 35 Ah (requires a frame bag). All of the batteries are built in-house.

You can customize your whole bike online, including better/faster chargers, a 2500–4000-watt lighting system and a dropper post for $400. Standard paint colors are orange, Gloss White or Matte Black. Beautiful custom colors by PrismaticPowders.com can be applied for $300.

Controls for the system are simple and straightforward. You can see the thumb throttle next to the keypad.

WHO IT’S MADE FOR

If you’re buying a bike from HPC, you’re a customer looking for extreme power, high durability and you have access to a place to legally ride a bike like this. They’re built right here in California. The typical HPC customer is less concerned about price than about performance. All their bikes are tunable, both mechanically and electronically.

THE RIDE

When you first throw a leg over, you realize this is a big bike! Some of that comes from the fat tires, just the look of it. It starts in pedal-assist mode 1, which you can turn to 0 if you want to use throttle only. HPC can configure it with up to 10 modes, but we always think that’s far too many. Ours came with only 5. So much for turning it up to 11!

Even in level 1, with 160 N/m of torque, you have to be prepared for the take-off. A little pedal pressure and off you go! If you’re still straddling the top tube when you push on the pedal, you may have a bruise on your backside long after the surprised look is gone from your face.

Kenda Juggernaut 26×4.5-inch tires offer ample grip and great ride control just by varying the tire pressure.

Getting the front wheel off the ground is really easy with this much power. We learned to start in PAS mode 1 and increase as we’d go; otherwise, the acceleration could invite trouble; there’s simply so much power and torque. Luckily, it’s controllable, especially once you get used to it, but it has the kind of power that can surprise you.

The gearing also helps. The 11-speed, 11-42t drivetrain provides ample range to climb anything or just to go really fast down a trail. On level ground, we hit as much as 35 mph with a 150-pound rider.

“When you first throw a leg over, you realize this is a big bike”

The Renegade fork, as mentioned, turns out to be the stiffest fork we’ve ever had on any e-fat bike. It only allows 120mm of travel, but that is enough, combined with the voluminous tires, to make for a pretty plush ride. One test rider remarked that a full suspension would be even better, but that would add weight, complexity and expense.

Battery life with the stock battery was not great, but with this much power and having this much fun, we almost didn’t care that we were getting 10 miles per charge. Our average ride only lasted an hour before the battery was drained, but we were full-throttle a lot of the time and climbing, running through sand washes, generally pushing the bike to its limits. More than once we bit off more than we can chew and found ourselves off the bike. It wasn’t the bike’s fault!

A forgiving head angle and a solid-performing Renegade fork make this the controllable monster truck that it is!

The great thing about those huge tires is that they are extremely buoyant in deep, dry sand and offered an astonishing grip for the conditions and relatively non-aggressive knobs. The key is to run lower pressure in sand, snow and mud. You can easily run a mere 5 psi, and the tires perform extremely well in these conditions, as well as providing a good level of suspension to take out the bumps.

The cutoff switches on the brake levers work extremely well to chop power instantly. Sometimes, when you stop pedaling, the motor continues on at whatever power level you have been riding at for at least a full second, which is disconcerting if you are at full power. Most of our test riders ride with one or two fingers on the brake levers all the time. The levers were so sensitive that two of the three riders had to stop keeping a finger on either lever to stop cutting the power when they didn’t want to.

Overall, the HPC’s braking was adequate considering the smallish rotors. In fact, we’d expect to see 200mm rotors for a bike of this size and power, along with quad-piston calipers instead of the dual pistons used.

The display on our preproduction model was monochrome and not backlit, but the production bike comes with a full-color, backlit display.

Built to go over almost anything.

THE VERDICT

If you are looking for a bike that’s an absolute riot to ride, built to go over almost anything and garner a lot of attention, this may be a great choice. It would certainly work for winter commuting in the snow and slush, as well as fun in dirt, mud, sand and anywhere else you could think of to take it. We’d definitely recommend springing for one of the larger batteries (especially the 17.5-Ah version) and the dropper post, and if you’re going to ride it often, get the upgraded charger, either the 6- or the 5-amp satiator, both of which can charge the standard battery from 5% to 100% in 2.5 hours.

SPECS

HPC TITAN

Price: $4495 stock, $4995 as tested with 1500W motor

Motor: Bafang Ultra with 160Nm of torque and 750-2000W of power (programmable)

Kona Bikes Remote 160

Kona is a famous Canadian mountain bike brand with a legacy of producing burly bikes for hardcore off-road riding. In addition to their catalog of pedal bikes, Kona has a growing number of e-bikes. For 2020 they wanted to build a new e-bike that ventures into the growing category of enduro bikes with 160mm of travel aimed at the most serious of riders.

Kona invited us to do a “First Look” on the Remote 160 e-mountain bike in the mountains above Madrid, Spain, which is known for its beauty and rocky, technical trails. How could we say no?

THE BIKE

The Remote 160 features a butted aluminum frame with some reinforcing gussets in place for good measure. To say it is beefy is an understatement. Every tube, every weld, every angle looks serious. It definitely plays on Kona’s expertise from their popular Process line of bikes.

Head tube angle is a forgiving 65 degrees on all sizes of the bike, and seat tube angle is 75.9 to 75.6 degrees depending on the size.

In the U.S., we’ll get the Gloss Charcoal version. We were riding the European colorway in Seafoam Green, which we prefer to the grey.

THE PARTS

RockShox suspension components are at the heart of this bike. A battle-proven Lyrik fork and Super Deluxe rear shock each provide very forgiving 160mm of travel. The stock suspension setup has two tokens, which can easily be changed depending on rider preference.

The drivetrain uses SRAM Eagle components, including a 1×12 setup with a huge 50T large ring in the rear (matched to a 39t chainring) to let you climb all but vertical walls. Wide bars and SRAM Code R brakes with 200mm rotors offer plenty of control. The 175mm-long Shimano Deore crankarms are short enough to keep pedal strikes to a minimum.

The Formula hubs are laced with 14g spokes to WTB KOM Trail i35 rims, with tubeless Mazis Minion DH 27.5×2.8-inch tires. Those voluminous plus tires are important, as we found out on the trail.

A 120mm Trans-X dropper post offers enough travel to get the seat out of your way for descents and bring it back up quickly for climbs.

THE MOTOR

The Remote comes with a Shimano E8000 motor, one of our favorites. Their previous models used Bosch CX motors, so this is a bit of a departure for them. We love it for its compact size and powerful punch, as well as its programmability via the Shimano app.

The battery is a Shimano integrated 504-Wh model, fitting internally inside the downtube. This is one of the first bikes we’ve ridden with Shimano’s internal battery setup, and it looks fantastic. It has the same capacity and power as the traditional external battery.

No key required to remove the battery, just a simple Allen key.

We think the stock settings for the E8000 are terrible. There’s no other way to say it. We rode the first day in the stock settings, where Eco is a little more than overcoming the weight of the bike, Trail seems almost imperceptibly more, and Boost is way too much with nothing in between.

The display is what we think is the ultimate for an e-mountain bike. Shimano’s E8000 cycling computer is mounted behind the bars and next to the stem, so it’s fairly protected. Although it’s very small, it’s still big enough to see everything you want to see—mode, battery level, power level in real time, and then you can toggle between speed, cadence, max speed, average speed, range and more.

Unusual to most Shimano systems, the on/off switch is on the top tube.

The second day we downloaded the E-Tube Project app. It allows you to tweak each of the settings. We prefer medium or high for Eco, high for Trail and medium for Boost. It makes the bike so much more livable and predictable. On downhill runs we’d keep the bike in Eco or Off (power is on, but you can easily bump to Eco if you find an ascent during or after the descent).

WHO IT’S MADE FOR

The Kona Remote 160 is aimed squarely at serious, experienced riders. We saw riders manage 8-foot drops; climb extremely technical, rocky terrain; and blast down rooty, rocky sections that were sometimes unpredictably grippy or loose. Other than flat tires, nothing broke through two days of riders treating it as kindly as they’d have treated a stolen car!

Shimano’s display is a monument to simplicity and is positioned to protect it very well.

THE RIDE

The 780mm-wide bars are the first thing we noticed. They offer really great control and the ability to throw the bike around when needed. The head tube angle and forks are incredibly forgiving, yet everything about this bike is lively, making for a fun experience. The suspension was out of this world. It was amazing over everything we rode over, even surprises where we thought we’d lose it. The weight of the bike makes it feel planted when cornering.

Power delivery was natural, especially after changing the power mode settings via the app. We put in enough climbing on the second day that we needed to swap batteries at lunch to finish the ride, but knowing we could, we used more power on the climbs, including the 2,625-foot climb to start the day.

“Other than flat tires, nothing broke through two days of riders treating it as kindly as they’d have treated a stolen car!”

During two days of riding, the WTB Volt Pro saddle never wore in or felt comfortable. It wasn’t a rock, but at times it felt a bit like one. Your mileage may vary, but we’d prefer a different saddle. Several other riders felt the same.

Maybe it was just an adjustment, but the SRAM Code R brakes were a little soft. There was plenty of modulation, but hard braking required a lot of movement of the brake levers.

SRAM’s Eagle drivetrain is absolutely solid. It does well under power, without the loud “clang” that sometimes happens under load when shifting. The 1×12 may be too much, as we often found ourselves shifting two gears instead of one at a time.

The beefy RockShox Lyrik fork took everything we threw at it. In the stock setting, it was perfect if we just set sag and forgot it.

Tires should have all gone flat considering the sharp, rocky terrain. We were riding over incredibly sharp rocks, often landing on them from decent drops. In this case, our hats are off to the Maxxis Minion tires with downhill casings. They truly were outstanding. They add a bit of weight, but it’s so worth it when you aren’t constantly flatting. In our small group, we had at least 10 flats in two days, requiring putting tubes in an already tubeless setup. They offer tons of grip, even on the very dry, dusty conditions that we had most of the time. It did finally rain slightly on the second afternoon, making the trail nicer and grippier.

On steep climbs, even with the short rear end, the suspension helped keep the front end down. Even if we pulled up a little to unweight the front wheel over a rock, it didn’t feel like it wanted to loop out. This isn’t something we can say about many bikes we ride, for sure, especially the ones with shorter chainstays. Kona has made a perfect combination of geometry and suspension here.

This bike was so good, and we still can’t believe it’s only $6000! It truly allowed us to push past our limits and ride terrain that was over our head, figuratively speaking.

THE VERDICT

The Kona Remote truly feels prepared for anything you throw at it and can get you out of a hairy situation you’ve gotten yourself into with surprising grace. It’s just so forgiving. At the same time, some riders thought it inspired too much confidence. Is there such a thing?

Either way, if you’re a beginner rider, even a rich one, this isn’t the bike for you. If you’re a hard-riding rider who wants to take multiple runs for training or just to have fun, the Remote 160 is a very capable bike worth a look.